#fulbright

Hello Everyone! 

I have revived my Tumblr to find many messages asking “what do I do next” when it comes to Archaeology/Anthropology. So I thought I’d create a post explaining what I went through to get to where I am now, and hopefully give some information to those who are pondering on the next steps to take in this truly wonderful field of study. 

Quick academic about me: 

• Undergrad: Ivy League, Major: Anthropology-Geography, Minor: Religion
• After Undergrad: 1 year of Cultural Resource Management (CRM) & Substitute teaching
• Graduate School: England MSc in Archaeological Information Systems
• After Graduate: 10-month long research grant in Cambodia
• Now: (USA)  Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology, Archaeology Track

I come from a low-middle class family, all of my academics have been funded through financial aid or through grants that I’ve applied for. A lot of the time school and research can get expensive, but that doesn’t mean you have to be wealthy to pursue it!

Per usual, please feel free to DM me at any point with questions (here or IG @ aal.archaeology), I’m always happy to help to the best of my ability. Success in this field is really dependent on networking!

I’ll set this up based on the various landmarks of my academic career: 

1. Undergrad

Themes: Ask for help, build your resume, write down everything

No matter where you are going to school, it is so so so important to use the resources around you. Becoming a professor is HARD work, and each one of your professors went through a lot to be able to stand in front of you and teach you. They’ve likely had years and years of research experience, which is probably still happening behind the scenes of teaching and grading papers. More often than not, professors want to help you, they want students to be excited about the research they’ve worked so hard on, and they want to do what they can to help you achieve your career goals. 

Therefore, if there’s a class you’ve taken or a professor whose research you’re interested in, tell them. This is how I got my first experience with archaeology (before I even knew that I wanted to do archaeology). I randomly took an Anthropology class that sounded cool, and after the first class, I was like WOW I love this topic so much and I really want to know more about it. I went up to the professor that was teaching it, told her I was really interested and asked if she knew of any research opportunities available. She then hired me as a student researcher in her lab to do data entry for one of her archaeological projects in Mesoamerica, and after working for her for a few months, she asked me if I wanted to go with her and her team to Mexico for fieldwork. 

         (my timeline at this point: 19 years old, end of Sophomore year)

From this experience, I learned how to apply to grants within the University and funding outside of the University, and was able to FULLY fund my research experience in Mexico. During this fieldwork, I got to work with 3000-year-old artifacts, do archaeoillustration, and eventually got my own chapter published in the book that my professor wrote about the research that was done.

After I got back from Mexico, I started exploring archaeology further. A new professor entered the department who specialized in “digital archaeology,” and his research involved tracking looting patters in Syria using satellite imagery. I thought this was crazy so I then went up to him and asked if I could help him with his research. (the common theme throughout this entire process is just asking for help). From this experience, I learned that I loved the possibilities that technology brought to the study of archaeology, everything from 3D modeling to identification of sites in satellite imagery to spatial mapping in GIS. With this professor, I was able to form an “internship” with him, and continued doing that and other minor projects within the department. I ended up modifying my major to incorporate coursework from the Geography department and created my own “Digital Archaeology” major.

        (my timeline at this point: 22 years old, Senior year)

As graduation began to creep closer, I had been able to get a good amount of lines on my resume. I had:

• research assistant/ data entry
• fieldwork in mesoamerica
• x2 internships with digital archaeology prof
• multiple “small” projects around the department i.e. making posters, painting 3D prints of bones,
• all of the coursework I had done on GIS/ relevant digital experience
• started a drone club at my school (it flopped, but it still counts as a line on the resume!)

All of these lines became useful when starting to think of jobs and the “next step”

UNDERGRAD HIGHLIGHTS & TAKEAWAYS:

1. Ask for help, your professors are there for a reason, it will almost always lead you to new opportunities. These relationships last well beyond your graduation and definitely come in handy later, make it count!
2. Write down EVERYTHING that you do. Did you help out with a conference? Write it down. Did you do a couple hours of data entry? Write it down.
3. Follow your leads! I started my anth journey in Mesoamerica and ended my undergrad in Near Easter digital archaeology (and I entered college wanting to do astronomy?). Change is natural, let it happen.  

2. Gap Year Between Undergrad and Grad School

Highlights: Job applications, field school, CRM, uncertainty

Something that I was always told during my undergrad was that you really need to do a field school and some CRM to be taken seriously post-grad. This shows that you actually want to be an archaeologist outside of the classroom environment. Field Schools and CRM give you valuable experience such as: excavation methodology, report writing, grant applications, teamwork, leadership, etc. 

I started applying for jobs probably about 5 months before I graduated and ended up securing a job at a CRM company in LA. They liked how much I had done during my undergrad, but they really wanted me to have a field school under my belt before I started working for them. Because I had already graduated and didn’t need course credit, I was able to do my field school at a discounted price (these things really do get expensive, and this was a difference of about $2k). I think this worked out in my favor waiting until the summer after I graduated because it saved me a lot of money in the end. 

After my field school was done, I started work that September inCRM. This job ended up being nothing like what I thought it would be, to be honest. I was an Archaeological Field Technician that was part-time/on-call, meaning I only got work when they needed someone to go monitor a construction site. I only got work once every month, sometimes every couple of months, so I was making hardly any money. I realized this quickly and decided to become a substitute teacher to supplement the CRM job. I HIGHLY recommend doing this if you end up in the same situation. Not only does subbing fill up all of your non-working days, but it also gives you the flexibility to choose when you can work and gives you teaching experience that you can put on your resume. That CRM experience can be really important, so it’s good to stick it out long enough to quit.

      Why didn’t I like CRM? For me, my job was very sparse, included driving long hours to a construction site, sitting there all day in case archaeological material popped up, and then driving home. Sometimes it was just walking back and forth across a massive field full of cow poop looking for arrowheads, and often it felt like I was just clearing land so that a big building could be erected. I was really missing the research component to all of it. The pay was also not great. 

GAP YEAR HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS:

What I got from this year was very valuable, even though it wasn’t necessarily that fun, however. 

• I got the experience I needed in CRM
• I got some teaching experience (also volunteered to mentor clubs and research at local high schools during this time)
• I started doing some networking (I found some alumni that were doing work that I wanted to be doing and reached out to them)
• and most importantly, I realized that I really do love school and wanted to go back for my Masters

So I started looking into Masters’s programs. This is kind of a scary thing especially in the US because school is expensive. I still really wanted to do Digital Archaeology, and I couldn’t find a single program in the US had a focus in this topic, and especially couldn’t find one that I was willing to pay for. 

The UK, however, had plenty of Digital Archaeology programs, and the programs were only a year long and a fraction of the price in the US. I decided to take a chance and apply, got in, and then suddenly I was moving to England. (in hindsight I really didn’t spend much time at all making this decision, but it worked out in the end). 

3. Masters Program

         (my timeline at this point: 23-24 years old)

I chose the program I applied to based on its focus on the techniques that I wanted to use, namely, remote sensing, GIS, and 3D modeling. I really wanted a degree qualification that spoke for itself, and therefore applied for an MSc in “Archaeological Information Systems.” 

I had done some networking during my gap year and connected with an alumnus who was doing research in Cambodia using digital methods, and she offered me the opportunity to join her fieldwork. I agreed to join her in Cambodia during my degree, and also applied for a research grant for the year following my master’s degree to continue fieldwork in Cambodia. 

I used this opportunity to fuel my dissertation topic and focused all of my writing and coursework throughout my grad school experience around Cambodia. While I was surrounded by people studying Roman architecture and Medieval Studies, I spent my time doing independent work and building a network in Cambodia. 

This program was a great experience for the most part, I was surrounded by beautiful medieval architecture and had a great community throughout. I personally didn’t really like the UK school system compared to what I had received in the US, however. This was largely because of the way coursework was set up. (If you want to know more just DM me).

MASTERS HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKEAWAYS:

• Follow networking opportunities, and find someone doing what you want to do (or close to it) and let them help you take the steps to get there
• If you’re going to do grad school, do it in something you know you love. Don’t waste money on a program that isn’t right for you.
• Make sure that the program you apply to allows for flexibility so that you can do research on what YOU want, not what THEY want.

Halfway through my Master’s degree, I received word that I had been accepted for the research grant (Fulbright) and would spend the next year living in Cambodia doing independent research.

4. Gap Year Between Masters Program and PhD

If you’re planning on a Ph.D., I think its a really good idea to do something before applying that relates to what you want to be studying. This shows that you’re dedicated to your research and to a life in academia, and have the ability to produce something from your work. 

My master’s degree was nice because 1) it was short, only a year-long, and 2) allowed me to focus research on what I was interested in. This gave me the experience I needed to lead into a year of independent research.

This year of independent research was definitely contingent on receiving the grant in the first place, and I think that I would have started job searching again had I not received it. However, the small things I did leading up to applying for it really helped in qualifying me to receive it. 

     I had:

• All of the undergraduate research experience
• CRM experience
• teaching experience
• fieldwork experience
• a master’s degree that focused on the region 
• established a network of people in the country beforehand
• a couple “publications” from fieldwork 

This grant fully funds me living in Cambodia, and has allowed me to participate in cultural exchange with some amazing people here in addition to allowing me to partake in archaeological fieldwork across the country. 

Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is to network. If you like something, find someone else who likes the same thing, send them an email.

Networking got me my experience in Mesoamerica, Digital Archaeology, my CRM job, my research experience in Cambodia, and so so much more. All because I sent that first email.

5. PhD Applications

I applied to 1 school. I got in. Its a really good school. I’m still in shock. 

However, I think I really did set myself up for success in this one. 

The biggest advice I can give in the world of Academia is:

1. NETWORK
1. Talking to people who have gone through what you’re going through are the BEST help. They can mentor you through these experiences, offer you new opportunities, or lead you in the direction of someone else who can help.

1. PLAN AHEAD (but be open to change)
1. Okay, so you’re applying to grad school. What do you want to focus on while you’re there? What do you want to do with the degree when you’re done? Do you want to start working? Do you want to do more research? What opportunities are out there for research funding? What is the job market looking for? Is there anyone in my network that can help me get there?
2. None of these have to be concrete plans, they just have to exist in some shape or form so that you have the ability to latch on to one when the opportunity arises.

If you’re doing something that you love doing, you’ll find a way to make it happen. All opportunity comes from the amount of effort you put into getting it!

Thanks for reading and best of luck on your studies!

Also Happy Anthropology Day! :) 

-Lyss 

Hi Everyone, 

So I feel as though now is a good time in the year/my life to give an update on how things are going. There’s been a lot of good and a lot of meh over the last few months, and I think it’s worth writing it all down. Here I’ll talk a bit about my Master’s Degree, my fieldwork in Cambodia, my mental state, my next year, and PhD plans. 

Where I am in my Master’s Degree: MSc in Archaeological Information Systems, England

It’s currently term 3, the final term for my degree in England. Classes are finished and we are fully in dissertation mode. I finished all of my coursework with a first (Above a 70 average/ equivalent to an A in the US), with scores of 68, 69, 75, and 78. The general consensus of international students in this program is that the grading system seems to be unproductive and could be greatly improved. This is mostly due to the fact that the grade you receive for a module is entirely based on a single 3500-word essay, and all other coursework conducted throughout the term is not worth anything. There’s a lot more I can say about this if anyone is interested. 

I will be writing my dissertation on an archaeological region in Cambodia called Sambor Prei Kuk. This research will involve a lidar analysis of the hydraulic network of the region. There has not been much remote sensing analysis conducted in this area yet, so there is a lot of potential for this research to expand. I’m personally not too worried about the word count for this dissertation (~20,000words/ ~80 pages), however, the climate for writing it has been generally stressful especially in its early stages. 

Fieldwork in Cambodia

In late March/Early April I spent 3 weeks in Cambodia to co-direct a field survey of Sambor Prei Kuk. The first two weeks consisted of pretty tiring and hot days. We would wake up around 7am daily for breakfast and then head into the field around 8am. Around noon-2pm we would end the field day due to heat. Most days involved driving to the remote site locations via truck on bumpy roads, walking through forested areas being swarmed by red ants that bite, and being covered in sweat and grime. They also involved locating previously unrecorded temple sites, interacting with the local people and their culture, and creating some great networking relationships. 

During this period I received word that I had been chosen to complete a 10-month long research Fulbright in Cambodia starting in September 2019. This was incredible news and helped to establish what I would be doing for the following year. This news, however, also brought with it realizations that I would not be able to go home for another year, would have to end a relationship with my current partner, and would have to start over again in terms of friendships and finding comfort in a country where I don’t speak the language.

PhD Programs  

While writing my dissertation over the next couple months, I will also be contacting PhD advisors and applying to programs. I’ve decided that I will be returning to the US for my PhD. This will be another 7+ years of school after a year of research in Cambodia. I’ve already accepted the fact that I am willingly selling my soul to academia for the rest of my life. Fingers are crossed for my top 3 schools, which have so far been successful in establishing positive communication about the programs. If I don’t get into my top, I will likely take a year off to regroup and re-apply for the following year. 

Mental State

Mentally, I feel like I consistently have a pretty heavy blanket of stress on me at all times.

In my personal life, it’s been difficult not seeing my family for so long in addition to not really knowing when I’ll be able to see them in the future. Dating has also been difficult because I know that I will never be in one place longer than a year at a time, so establishing healthy relationships has been a struggle. My friends here in England are incredible and I’m grateful for them every day, and their presence has eased a lot of the mental strain that is inherent with academia. 

In my academic life, I feel like there is never an opportunity to take a break and breathe, and it doesn’t look like there will be a break any time soon. I recognize that I’m very privileged and lucky to be in this position, and I know that looking back on it years from now will be a positive experience.

I’ve recently been told that the more success you acquire, the more sacrifices you have to make. I’ve definitely been feeling the effect of this in the last few weeks. 

Conclusion

On paper, my life is pretty great and opportunities for success are plentiful at the moment. I have the opportunity to study in England, do research in Cambodia, and get to continue research in a field that I love. 
Mentally, however, I’m quite tired.  

I hope you all are doing well <3 

-Lyss

As a doctor and pathologist, Dr. A. Marcell Szasz has committed his life to improving the health and wellbeing of others. As a participant of the Hungarian-American Enterprise Scholarship Fund (HAESF) and the Fulbright program, Dr. Szasz further honed his life-saving research and leadership skills. In addition to working on his scientific research projects, Dr. Szasz focused on observing local clinical cases, attending clinicopathological rounds, and participating in his host institution’s daily meetings, presentations, and education sessions.

Dr. Szasz credits his exchange experiences with positively impacting both his professional and personal life explaining, “since returning to Hungary, I routinely call upon not just the technical knowledge I gained as an exchange scholar in the United States, but also the personal experiences from my daily life there to inform, shape, and benefit my collaboration and interaction with my family and friends, patients, colleagues, and mentored students.”

When he returned from his Fulbright program, Dr. Szasz utilized the knowledge and skills he gained to re-train all medical students working on breast cancer research in tissue and sample collection procedures. The new procedures he introduced ensure the collection of more viable samples, less pain for patients, and more successful research results in his work on breast cancer prevention. Together with his supervised PhD students, Dr. Szasz has also initiated a comprehensive registry of data for breast cancer patients to define prognostic factors in a much more effective way than previously available. The registry allows oncology centers to tailor treatment options for each individual patient.  

Between conducting life-saving research and working with his patients, Dr. Szasz still finds time to play an active role in the alumni community and to educate and inspire the next generation. A firm believer in transparency and public education, he regularly works to educate people about medicine, pathology, and research. Seizing upon the opportunity to give back to the alumni community and to inspire youth, Dr. Szasz presented to a local high school in March 2015 as part of the “Meet the Scientist” Program, a joint initiative of the U.S. Embassy Budapest and the Hungarian Association for Innovation. Dr. Szasz considers his role as a mentor as one of the most exciting challenges in his career as a scientist, and appreciates any opportunity to educate and inspire young people about STEM.

As a scientist with international experience through the HAESF and Fulbright programs, and with his multidisciplinary approach to work, Dr. Szasz continues to focus on international collaboration and joint projects. He believes that this kind of international cooperation provides greater perspective and more research inspiration. Dr. Szasz’s commitment to international collaboration, and his devotion to inspiring the next generation of potential scientists, could lead to life-saving breakthroughs impacting the lives of individuals around the globe.

Read more stories like this on ourwebsite. 

This month, Forbes published its annual 30 Under 30 recognizing bright young entrepreneurs, breakout talent, and change agents in 20 different professional sectors. Seven of these leaders studied abroad on State Department exchange programs early in their careers. These experiences shaped their identities and in many cases motivated them to become leaders and thinkers in the United States and around the world.

Exchange programs support U.S. international leadership and motivate participants to pursue important fields, like health and entrepreneurship. For example, Emilia Javorsky, a Fulbright Student to the European Union in 2012, was recognized for co-founding Arctic Fox, a company that has raised $7.5 million to test a method for freezing fat anywhere in the body, with potential to treat conditions like sleep apnea and type 3 diabetes. Emilia felt that her Fulbright Program, “…was transformative in helping me realize that after medical school I wanted to work on a macro level to transform the way we innovate in medicine.”

Evin Robinson participated in Syracuse University’s study abroad program in Hong Kong as a Gilman Scholar in the fall of 2011, where he focused on business and Mandarin. Three years later, he co-founded New York On Tech to create pathways for underrepresented students into degrees and careers in tech.

Following their experiences abroad exchange program alumni continue to develop new skills that build U.S. and international security, prosperity, and cooperation. Noam Angrist, a Fulbright Student to Botswana 2013, co-founded Young 1ove in Botswana during his Fulbright to teach students about sex education and HIV/AIDS. And Alaa Murabit, who participated in the Middle Eastern-Western Dialogue Program in 2013, is now the only United Nations (UN) high level commissioner under the age 45.

Forbes recognized three more U.S. Fulbright Student alumni who are demonstrating leadership in their respective fields. Gloria Tavera studied in Mexico in 2009 and is now a founding member and current president of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines. Adina Appelbaum studied in Egypt in 2010 and created Crim-Imm Pro Bono Project to increase access to criminal immigration legal counsel in the United States, and Anna Therese Day, who studied in Spain in 2013, is a founding member of Frontline Freelance Register.

These State Department exchange program alumni are part of a network that is over one million strong worldwide. Each year, approximately 14,000 Americans join the network, traveling on programs that range from high school study abroad to Professional Fellows. They tell us they return home with new ideas and perspectives, and pursue careers in the business, NGO, or government sectors as a result of their exchanges. These exchange alumni are addressing challenges that range from broadening access to education to countering violent extremism. Likewise, international exchange participants pursue similar opportunities after they return home.  

We always look forward to what the members of the State Department exchange program alumni network will accomplish next. Check out their stories on the ECA Alumni Twitter, Facebook, and website.

Read the full story and check out links: here.